Meanings
Prefix
Honorific
Humble
Polite
Usually written in kana
1. honorific/polite/humble prefix
usu. before a term with an on-yomi reading
Suffix
Honorific
2. honorific suffix
after a noun indicating a person
Alt. forms
Pitch accent
Top 300
Used in vocabulary (272 in total)
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
to be
knowing; (an) acquaintance
your husband; her husband
trouble; bother; annoyance
humour; humor; safety; health; in a good mood; in high spirits
knowing; (an) acquaintance
(somebody else's) parents; both parents
trouble (I have put you through); (your) hard work; thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
going together
greeting; a fine thing to say
(your) daughter; young woman
guidance; leading (the way); information; notice; announcement (of one's arrival); invitation
feast; treating (someone); to treat (someone, e.g. to a meal)
(your) business; (your) concern; (customer's) order; official business (of the government, Imperial Court, etc.); arrest; capture
feast; treating (someone); to treat (someone, e.g. to a meal)
himself; yourself; herself
not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence
cooperation; collaboration
polite; courteous; careful; close; overly courteous; overly careful
you are quite right; reasonable; natural; just
don't worry; no worries; never mind
contacting; getting in touch; communication; call; message
splendid; fine; handsome; elegant; imposing; prominent
to be; to exist
inviting another to one's home, office, etc.; (lit.) the trouble of coming (going)
fate; chance; relationship; tie
(received) favor, kindness or blessing (favour)
talisman; amulet; charm
acknowledgement; acknowledgment; understanding (e.g. "please be understanding of the mess during our renovation"); noting
greeting; a fine thing to say
attention; notice; care; caution; advice; warning
humour; humor; safety; health; in a good mood; in high spirits
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
grace (of God); divine favour; benefit; efficacy
opportunism; double standards; timeserving; expediency
knowing; (an) acquaintance
contraband; taboo; strictly forbidden
shintai; object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity, typically housed in a shrine
don't worry about it; there is nothing to fear; there is no need for anxiety; everything is under control
how kind of you; that's very nice of you; kindly
how kind of you; that's very nice of you; kindly
this place; where one comes from; here
going together
siblings; brothers and sisters
exaggerated; extravagant; overdone
not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence
starting afresh; going back to square one; abandoning (e.g. a plan); clearing an abacus
trouble (I have put you through); (your) hard work; thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
entertainment; amusement; fun
your husband; her husband
elder sister
entertainment; amusement; fun
encouragement; urging; spurring on
please refrain (from)
courtesy call; courtesy visit
polite; courteous; careful; close; overly courteous; overly careful
principal object of worship at a temple (usu. a buddha or bodhisattva); principal image; idol; the man himself; the person at the heart of the matter
as is usual with; in common with
wife (esp. of a prominent, recently married man)
wife (esp. of a prominent, recently married man)
you are quite right; reasonable; natural; just
to ask the opinion of (a superior)
imperial palace (esp. Kyoto Imperial Palace); imperial residence; residence of a shogun, minister, etc.; emperor; ex-emperor; empress
alcohol; sake
please take care of yourself; please be careful not to... (concerning one's health or well-being)
personage; person (deserving of respect)
new customer
(imperial) words
siblings; brothers and sisters
advisor; adviser (to a lord, etc.); wise counselor allowed to speak to a lord without restraint
advisor; adviser (to a lord, etc.); wise counselor allowed to speak to a lord without restraint
purveyor (to the Imperial Household, etc.); company (or restaurant, place, etc.) that caters to or is popular with a specific clientele
purveyor (to the Imperial Household, etc.); company (or restaurant, place, etc.) that caters to or is popular with a specific clientele
frightful face
(your) business; (your) concern; (customer's) order; official business (of the government, Imperial Court, etc.); arrest; capture
trouble; bother; annoyance
exaggerated; extravagant; overdone
a question from the emperor
splendid; fine; handsome; elegant; imposing; prominent
grace (of God); divine favour; benefit; efficacy
worry; care; consideration
pilgrim's song; pilgrim's hymn; song in praise of the Buddha
as is usual with; in common with
please take care of yourself; please be careful not to... (concerning one's health or well-being)
sunrise viewed from the top of a high mountain; the rising sun
common; in the usual course
lower-ranking vassal in the Kamakura and Edo periods
mother
worry; care; consideration
(imperial) words
guidance; leading (the way); information; notice; announcement (of one's arrival); invitation
presence (of a nobleman, the emperor, etc.); outrider (person riding horseback in the lead position of a cavalcade); My Lord; My Lady
contraband; taboo; strictly forbidden
mausoleum; shrine; the (imperial) court
please accept (this)
excuse me for interrupting you when you are so busy
excuse me for interrupting you when you are so busy
purveyor (to the Imperial Household, etc.); company (or restaurant, place, etc.) that caters to or is popular with a specific clientele
meal; Emperor's meal; meal of a noble; high-quality (of a food or drink); premium
Meiji Restoration
lord's command
girl; young (unmarried) woman
as is usual with; in common with
talisman; amulet; charm
three branch Tokugawa families (Owari, Kii, and Mito); big three; top three
lower-ranking vassal in the Kamakura and Edo periods
(another person's) younger sister
frightful face
misfortune; calamity
Meiji Restoration
abode (of a nobleman or emperor); Imperial chamber
uncle
your younger brother
imperial portrait; photograph of the incumbent Emperor and Empress distributed to schools between 1890 and the end of the Second World War; portrait or photo of a person of high rank
before the spirit of the deceased
you are unquestionably right
worship by the emperor at a shrine
don't worry about it; there is nothing to fear; there is no need for anxiety; everything is under control
as is usual with; in common with
(another person's) nephew
entertainment; amusement; fun
wife (esp. of a prominent, recently married man)
courtesy call; courtesy visit
(another person's) niece
common; in the usual course
(somebody else's) parents; both parents
(your) daughter; young woman
don't worry; no worries; never mind
fate; chance; relationship; tie
attention; notice; care; caution; advice; warning
entertainment; amusement; fun
courtesy call; courtesy visit
encouragement; urging; spurring on
new customer
crest of a noble family
pilgrim's song; pilgrim's hymn; song in praise of the Buddha
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
upaya (skillful means, methods of teaching); convenience; suitability; availability
himself; yourself; herself
not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence
personage; person (deserving of respect)
imperial palace (esp. Kyoto Imperial Palace); imperial residence; residence of a shogun, minister, etc.; emperor; ex-emperor; empress
inviting another to one's home, office, etc.; (lit.) the trouble of coming (going)
how kind of you; that's very nice of you; kindly
how kind of you; that's very nice of you; kindly
staff with plaited paper streamers
letter bearing the shogun's scarlet seal; seal stamp given to worshippers and visitors to shrines and temples
three secondary Tokugawa branch families (Tayasu, Shimizu, and Hitotsubashi)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
misfortune; calamity
Brocken spectre; Brocken bow
acknowledgement; acknowledgment; understanding (e.g. "please be understanding of the mess during our renovation"); noting
opportunism; double standards; timeserving; expediency
please refrain (from)
temple; monk's quarters; monk
a question from the emperor
three secondary Tokugawa branch families (Tayasu, Shimizu, and Hitotsubashi)
deified volcano or volcanic eruption
upaya (skillful means, methods of teaching); convenience; suitability; availability
to withdraw from the presence (of the Emperor)
before a Buddha or a mortuary tablet; offerings made to Buddha or placed on a mortuary tablet
emperor (of Japan); mikado; (the gates of an) imperial residence
cooperation; collaboration
contacting; getting in touch; communication; call; message
purveyor (to the Imperial Household, etc.); company (or restaurant, place, etc.) that caters to or is popular with a specific clientele
(received) favor, kindness or blessing (favour)
shintai; object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity, typically housed in a shrine
three branch Tokugawa families (Owari, Kii, and Mito); big three; top three
starting afresh; going back to square one; abandoning (e.g. a plan); clearing an abacus
this place; where one comes from; here
wife (esp. of a prominent, recently married man)
meal; Emperor's meal; meal of a noble; high-quality (of a food or drink); premium
imperial tomb
imperial tomb
principal object of worship at a temple (usu. a buddha or bodhisattva); principal image; idol; the man himself; the person at the heart of the matter
imperial visit; imperial outing
staff with plaited paper streamers
imperial property
mistress; madam
abode (of a nobleman or emperor); Imperial chamber
mistress; madam
gentlemen
please take care of yourself; please be careful not to... (concerning one's health or well-being)
to ask the opinion of (a superior)
(another person's) nephew
(another's respected) father
(another's respected) father
lord's command
letter bearing the shogun's scarlet seal; seal stamp given to worshippers and visitors to shrines and temples
another's parent; another's parents
bride; one's daughter-in-law
bride; one's daughter-in-law
advisor; adviser (to a lord, etc.); wise counselor allowed to speak to a lord without restraint
advisor; adviser (to a lord, etc.); wise counselor allowed to speak to a lord without restraint
manager; steward; person next in rank to the chief retainer and in charge of general management and accounting in a samurai family (Edo period)
deified volcano or volcanic eruption
sunrise viewed from the top of a high mountain; the rising sun
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
mausoleum; shrine; the (imperial) court
lighted lamp (or candle, etc.) provided as a religious offering
your success
imperial portrait; photograph of the incumbent Emperor and Empress distributed to schools between 1890 and the end of the Second World War; portrait or photo of a person of high rank
land under the control of the imperial household or the shogunate
pent roof built atop the stairs of a shrine or temple
imperial estate
excuse me for interrupting you when you are so busy
excuse me for interrupting you when you are so busy
please accept (this)
Formulary of Adjudications (51-article Joei legal code)
before the spirit of the deceased
you are unquestionably right
you are unquestionably right
worship by the emperor at a shrine
Charter Oath (of the Meiji Emperor); Five-Point Imperial Covenant; Imperial Oath of Five Articles
birth (regal); nativity
birth (regal); nativity
those who want it
frequently asked questions; FAQ
frequently asked questions; FAQ
frequently asked questions; FAQ
Goryū Shinto (sect of amalgamated Shinto)
within the town limits of Edo
within the town limits of Edo
to be; to exist
to be; to exist
older lady
another's wife or daughter
Examples (153 in total)
How do you feel today?
Thank you for pointing that out.
What do you think of the movie?